You are here

Getting Ready to Drive for Pre-Teens

We know your kids are excited to learn to drive, and this can be a good thing for you, too. Use their interest in this topic to have conversations about safety and what the rules will be in your household when they begin to drive. Your driver will need to be a safe passenger, not just in your car, but in every car. But this is an area where safety must come first, and it’s never too early to start.

Top Safety Tips

Talk to your kids about driver and passenger safety. We’ll make it easy for you. Check out our Countdown2drive program, which helps you put together a passenger agreement and guidelines for teens that are specially tailored to your family.

Kids are always watching, even when you think they’re not. So be a good example. Try to eliminate distractions by not using a cell phone or texting while driving. Teach your teen or preteen to read maps and help with finding locations.

Make it a rule that kids younger than 13 ride like a VIP – in the back. This is the safest place for preteens and younger children to sit.

When carpooling, make sure you have enough seating positions and booster seats for every child in your car and that kids enter and exit curbside. Children no longer need booster seats when they can pass the following Safety

Belt Fit Test

The child’s knees should bend at the edge of the seat when his or her back and bottom are against the vehicle seat back;

The vehicle lap belt should fit across the upper thighs; and

The shoulder belt should fit across the shoulder and chest. Children are usually between 8 and 12 years old when the seat belt fits them properly.